The cooperative research efforts of the 63 Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) member and affiliate institutions are contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge concerning the biology and therapy of most types of childhood malignancies. The University of Mississippi utilizes the cooperative protocols of the POG as the foundation for its clinical and laboratory research programs in pediatric oncology. The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) and USAF Medical Center Keesler are the only centers on the state providing comprehensive care for children with cancer. The UMC's participation in the POG incorporates the multidisciplinary input of pediatric medical oncology (chemotherapy), pediatric surgery, pediatric pathology, radiotherapy, immunology, and cytogenetics both locally and in scientific and administrative activities for the group. The UMC serves as the coordinating institution for the pilot (POG 7865/7866) and currently active (POG 8035/8036) ALinC 13 classification (C) and treatment (T) studies for patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The UMC is also coordinating the classification study (POG 8305) for ALL patients in initial relapse and will cooordinate the classification portion of the ALinC 14 study when it is activated. In coordinating the POG's ALL classification studies, the UMC is participating with the POG Statistical Office in a project to study the efficacy of utilizing microcomputer transfer of data from the study coordinator's office to the POG central computer data base. As chairman of the New ALL Subcommittee the UMC principal investigator is helping to direct the planning of the POG ALinC 14 studies and the new T-cell leukemia protocol. UMC personnel are also participating in the committees for the planning of new protocols for brian tumor and Hodgkin's disease.